Gun and cocaine seized after high-speed chase on Franklin Street

A man who fled from a traffic stop and led police on a high-speed chase caused a crash that injured a passenger in his vehicle faces seven criminal charges in Racine County Circuit Court.

Raheem A. Jeelani, 33, of Racine, was charged by the Racine County District Attorney Monday with felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing/eluding resulting in great bodily harm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, knowingly operating a motor vehicle while suspended causing great bodily harm and possession of cocaine, along with misdemeanor counts of obstructing an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The reckless-injury charge carries a fine of $100,000 and 25 years in prison, with the other felonies carry a total fine of $70,000 and 29 years, six months in prison. The two misdemeanors carry a total fine of $10,500 and 10 months in county jail.

According to the criminal complaint:
Officers with the Racine Police Department attempted to stop the defendant’s vehicle for a defective brake lamp Oct. 6 in the 1200 block of Franklin Street. Police also recognized a passenger in the vehicle as a man with an active arrest warrant.

As police attempted to stop the vehicle, it failed to stop and quickly accelerated, traveling through residential areas at about 85 mph. As the vehicle approached 14th street at about 70 mph, it slammed into a GMC Arcadia on the west side, which caused the defendant’s vehicle to spin around and strike a city light pole and other parked vehicles.

Both the defendant and passenger fled the vehicle but were taken into custody. Police had to use a taser to arrest Jeelani.

Police recovered a .38 revolver from the floorboard of the driver’s seat. Jeelani also had $200 in cash. The passenger had two bags of marijuana in his mouth. Officers also recovered a digital scale with a white powdery residue, three cell phones, and a bag that contained .3 grams of cocaine near the front wheel.

The passenger sustained numerous injuries, including a collapsed lung, several broken bones, and internal bleeding and was airlifted to a nearby trauma center.

Court records indicate that Jeelani, who made his initial court appearance Monday, has several previous drug-related convictions.

Raheem is being held on a $7,500 cash bond. A preliminary hearing has been set for 08:30 a.m. Oct. 17.